Tuesday, November 30, 2010

I love to hit up the stores after Christmas and stock up on cheap Christmas décor goodies for the following year.

Something else I love about shopping for Christmas decor after Christmas is that I forget what I bought. When I bring my Christmas stuff down from the attic I get so excited to see what the Christmas Décor Santa left for me.

This year he left me several boxes of these super cute birds with feathered tails! Oh Christmas Décor Santa, how I love thee!

The box says these bad boys were $6 per box but I’m certain that the Christmas Décor Santa didn’t pay full price. Oh no……he’s cheap just like me! ;o)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Around this time last year I posted a few shot clips that showed things I do while decorating my Christmas tree. I’m a bit OCD about how I decorate my tree.

I’m already thinking about the years ahead when we have little ones that want to add their touch to our tree. Of course I would want to include them but my OCD will most likely take over. I’m thinking their very own tree in their room might help fix this little predicament. The fact that I’m already thinking about this shows you just how much of a nut I am about this.

Anyhoo, since the ole blog has grown a bit I thought I would repost them in case anyone missed them last year.

Without further ado my crazy OCD on display in the form of tips and tricks to help you decorate your Christmas tree!

1. Where to start.

2. How to make your ornaments pop!

3. How to fill our your tree without spending a lot of dough.

4. Adding a little pizzazz in the form of flowers, berries, and glittered goodness.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Alrighty all you last minute non cookers I have a dessert recipe that’s easy to make, easy on the pocket book, and taste like a little slice of heaven on a plate.

Enter the Dump Cake!

I’m sure you’ve heard of a dump cake there’s dump cake recipes all over the place! I’m not really sure why it’s called a dump cake. Kent said it reminds him of bread pudding and I think it’s more like a cobbler.

Trust me it’s delicious! Kent who is not a fan of sweets loves this and I’ll pretty much eat anything with sugar in it but I promise it’s good!

Here’s my take on the dump cake, clobber, bread pudding thing!

Ingredients

-1 can (21 Oz.) Apple Pie Filling

-1 can (15 Oz.) Crushed Pineapple

-1 box Yellow

-1 sticks Unsalted Butter

-1 teaspoon of cinnamon

-Orange Zest (roughly 1 teaspoon)

-½ cup of Chopped Walnuts (or pecans)

-Optional: Ice cream or Whip Cream to be used as a topping. If you don’t want to make your own whip cream go for the extra creamy whip cream in the can that you find by the yogurt. It’s so much better than Cool Whip.

Instructions

1. Pour apple pie filling and crushed pineapple (including juice) into a 9”X13'’ baking dish. Using a zester zest about 1 teaspoon of orange zest into the pie filling mixture. Stir together. If you do not have a zester use the small side of your cheese grater. This was something I added as I went along so I did not measure but 1 teaspoon should do the trick. Orange zest is very strong so you only need a little bit.

2. Pour dry cake mix in a bowl and add cinnamon. Use a whisk to incorporate cinnamon into dry cake mix. I decided to add the cinnamon as I went along so I did not measure the exact amount of cinnamon I put in. If you think it needs more than a teaspoon go for it but don’t go too crazy. You just want a hit of cinnamon in each bite.

3. Sift cake mix over the top of the fruit mixture. If you do not have a sifter lightly dust the dry cake mix over the fruit mixture. You want to avoid large clumps of dry mix so when you bake it you don’t get balls of uncooked cake mix.

4. Slice thin pieces butter and distribute over the surface of the cake mix. The butter will melt and incorporate into the dry cake mix.

5. Sprinkle nuts over the top and pop it in the over. Again this is something I added as I went along so I did not measure the exact amount of nuts that I added. If you think it needs more than ½ a cup go for it. If you like nuts don’t skip this part! The nuts add a nice texture and crunch!

-Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on how crunchy you want you topping to be.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

******************* Read Me!

If you’re going to be home during the holiday and need something to do our Sunday photo chit chat is in full swing so you can catch up on those if you’ve missed them

I’ll also be reposting some how to decorate your tree clips that I posted last year.

I’ll have them up on Friday so you can watch them if you want to. I’m sure there will be a lot of tree decorating going on this weekend. I’m a bit of a tree decorating nut and have a few tricks up my sleeve!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

My day starts off at 6am. I turn the alarm off roll out of bead and head down the hall to my office. Yes, still in my PJ’s, makeup free, morning breath an all! Good thing my co-worker has bad breath too!

I check my e-mail and usually edit a few of my personal images (non work related). I count that as my “Me Time”.

Lesson learned: It’s hard to take a picture of a computer screen in bad lighting. Maybe it’s hard in any lighting!

Head downstairs……….

Do the dishes and pick up the kitchen.

Make my morning coffee. I was excited about trying my new Vanilla Spiced Rum cream. It was a unnecessary impulse buy but it added a little joy to my morning. ;o)

Having cream in my coffee is a rare treat for me. I try to use only use it once a week. Well, I typically use a non dairy, low-fat cream but that doesn’t count. Nope, the powder stuff is nowhere near as good as the real stuff.

Head back upstairs. Not before I stop to take a scary, makeup free, looking like a mess shot of myself. Yes, I do this every morning. I kid, I kid! I took this solely for you guys. Wanted to show you how purdy I look in the morning. ;o) Again I’m joking….just in case you missed that. :o)

Get comfy at my desk and write my goals for the week in my goal journal.

On today’s menu we have a tofu, pork, with Asian greens soup thanks to chef Kent.

He usually makes a big pot of veggie soup on Sundays that I eat on throughout the week.

After lunch I head back upstairs and (take another bad picture of my computer screen) proof a few sessions. “What does proofing a session mean?” you ask. I look though images from a session, make notes, and write down the image number of the pictures that are keepers. At least this is my definition of proofing a session. :o)

On this particular day I had some errands to run so I got dressed and headed out the door. It was 87 degrees in Dallas that day. I know, pure craziness! We’re supposed to get a cold snap on Thanksgiving. Bring on the cold weather! I LOVE it!

Did a bit of Christmas shopping at Target and Marshalls. I may or may not have bought a few things for myself. Stopped by the bank. Got gas. Popped into Pier One. Carried around a few nutcracker ornaments that I thought I needed. Had a heart to heart with myself about not needing said nutcracker ornaments. Put them back as I headed out the door. Looks like my heart to heart with myself worked! I left without spending dime. Go me!

Headed home………..

Made my second cup of coffee.

Sipped on my coffee while starting a load of laundry, doing a bit of picking up. and going through the mail. I have 5 arms in case you didn’t know that.

Dinner and a bit of T.V. I watched Little People Big World. Kent was working late so I had some soup and a smoke turkey sandwich.

Kent smoked a big turkey over the weekend so we’ll be munching on that this week.

Kent gets home as I’m finishing dinner. We chat for a bit.

Then I head back up to the office.

Answer emails, and edit images, work, blah, blah, work.

Get a call from a client. It’s a bit late for work calls (10pm) but she has great news. So it’s alllll good!

More work and several hours later…… I’m hungry. Have another heart to heart with myself. Do I want a snack? I decide I do!

Back downstairs for some soymilk and a Kashi bar. Yum!

More chatting with Kent. We talk about how lame the Skating with the Stars is. I mainly just wanted to see Bethany skate. I had higher hopes for the show but I don’t think I will be watching it. I fill Kent in on the Christmas gifts I bought.

Looked at the clock. It’s 1am. Wayyy past my bed time. I tell Kent and the the animals goodnight. Yes, I say goodnight to our Rabbit Ninja! Kent’s a night owl and usually stays up later than me.

If you’re not a blogger tell us something that you’re grateful for in your comment!

*Link up a post that talks about something that you are grateful for. If can be an old post or a new one!

*If you’re new to linky parties McKlinky is very user friendly and will walk you though everything you need to do. You can copy and past our party button onto your post or create a hyperlink back to Domestic Princess in Training.

*Play nice and be sure to link your “grateful post” (NOT something you are trying to sale) or I’ll have to get the blog party police after you.

Monday, November 15, 2010

My schedule is full till December and I honestly have NO idea how I’m going to do it all, but I am!

I had 5 photo shoots last week and 6 this week…whew! That may be nothing to some of the bigwig photographers but I’m pretty tickled about it.

I LOVE what I do!

On the other hand I’m a little stressed trying to figure out time management, while keeping a clean house, and getting ready for the holidays……but I can……I must, and I’ll do it all with grace while making sure I’m enjoying the experience!

With time being a little short these days my post need to be quick and to the point and since anything related to photography needs tons and tons of explaining (wordy post) I thought it might be a good idea to do a few photo chit-chats, vlog style.

Warning I’m stepping out of my comfort zone here but I thought it was worth a try.

If you follow me on facebook you got a sneak peek last night. Not that it’s anything worthy of a sneak peek but hey….why not!

Finally answering your photography questions! Keep them coming. :o) Oh and please be nice this was hard for me to be on this side of the camera.

FYI: No, my walls are not yellow, it was just really bad lighting. Oh and I messed up at the end which is why it got choppy.

FYI: I left out an important word when I was talking about my 25mm lens….it’s a telephoto “zoom” lens….not just a telephoto lens (there is a difference). My 50mm is not a zoom lens so you would refer to it as a telephoto lens.

Youtube clip I was talking about. Watch this I promise you’ll learn from him!!!!!!!

What did you think? Should we keep going with the vlog style photo chit-chats? If so keep your questions coming so I have something to talk about.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

K’s are prominent in our household…and I love them! I love my soon to be hubby Kent, my “K” coffee cup, my Keurig, AND myself, Kendra (just in case you forgot my name). Yes, I love myself! It’s good to love who you are. If you don’t on one else will. That’s my tip for the day.

Today and always:I am grateful for my Keurig or as I like to call him…….Mr. Keurig!

He was Christmas gift a few years ago. At that time I was not obsessed with coffee. I know shocker! I thought it was neat and a very nice gift but I was not sold on the whole thing. Then he started getting all fancy on me…… he told me (yes Mr. Keurig talks….doesn't yours?) that he brews tons of flavored coffees, teas, and hot chocolate in a matter of seconds. That’s when he won me over! Ever since then we’ve been tight. I visit him 1st thing in the morning, and again in the afternoon. He’s a gentlemen and even shares with my family and friends. He’s always there for me when I need him. Yeah…..me and Mr. Keurig have a special thing going on and I don’t mind it one bit.

Do you own a Keurig? If so what’s your favorite K-cup?I’m digging the Doughnut Shop coffee right now. I used to be all over the flavored coffees but they’re not strong enough for me now.

Oh and I ‘m also grateful for our kind of cute linky party button. I made it by myself. I have no idea how I did it, but I did! It’s not real pretty but it works!

********************

Link up your Grateful Post!If you don’t have a blog tell us something that you’re grateful for in your comment!

*This is a last minuet and very informal linky party. Just link up a post that talks about something that you are grateful for. If can be an old post or a new one!

*If you’re new to linky parties McKlinky is very user friendly and will walk you though everything you need to do. You can copy and past our party button onto your post or create a hyperlink back to Domestic Princess in Training.

*Play nice and be sure to link your “grateful post” (NOT something you are trying to sale) or I’ll have to get the blog party police after you.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

I try to buy her love with nice gestures. On this particular day I pulled out the heating blanket just for her.

It worked!

She loved me.

Until Kent came home.

Then she forgot who I was.

If you missed the post about our dog Abby who is head over heels in love with my fiancée Kent click HERE to get caught up. ;o)

************************** I’m grateful linky party will be up tomorrow night 8pm CS time to be exact. Get your post ready. It can be a new or old post. It just needs to be a post that talks about something you’re grateful for!

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

I can have fun by myself but it would be a lot more fun if you would join me! This Thursday that’s one day from today I’m starting our weekly “I’m grateful for…..” linky party.

Stop, smell the roses, and be grateful for what’s in front of you….. then blog about it!

It can be silly, touching, motivating, whatever! It just needs to be a post about something you’re grateful for.

I ‘m one of those annoying people that often talks about how grateful I am for all the joys in my life. It’s not out of the norm for me to say “Isn't it so great that we’ve been given the gift of sight.” or “Yes, this situation is not fun, but what are we going to learn from it.” What can I say……I LOVE to live and try hard to do it with joy in my heart and a smile on my face! I have a passion for life and am grateful for all the gifts it brings from a tiny fallen leaf all the way to good health.

Life if good let’s be grateful for it!Not just during the holidays but always!

Grab a button and link up!I’ll see you Thursday! You’ll be able to link up at 8pm central standard time.

Thursday, November 04, 2010

Okay, maybe not the largest sweet potato in the world but I bet it’s the largest sweet potato in my cul-de-sac! This thing was HUGE!

I threw it on the oven for a couple of hours (yes, it took forever because of it’s massive size!) and gave it a good mashing when it was done.

Who would have thought……1 sweet potato would be enough to feel 4 people.

This is the 1st of my many upcoming thankful post. Just a little glimpse into my world silliness full of things that I am beyond grateful for.

Today and always: I am grateful for veggie/fruit co-op! Not only is it easy on my pocketbook it gives me crazy goodies such as the largest sweet potato in the world!

What do you think? Should we make this a weekly linky party for the month of November? Once a week we can chime in a share a picture of something we’re grateful for. Let m know if you would be interested in joining in. I haven’t hosted a linky party in forever in fear of being the only one there.

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

The weather is cooling down and families are preparing for holiday pictures; which translates to one busy gal. I’m so tickled that folks come to me to capture their precious family moments….really, it warms my heart! I’ve met some of the sweetest people and reconnect with a few high school friends…….pure neatness!

My plate is full and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. I’m planning for our wedding which is just 5 short months away, decided to throw a fall harvest party for my gal pals, hosting Christmas for my family, and our annual holiday bash…….now throw in a month full of family sessions and tons of editing ahead. See why I’m getting a little overwhelmed. That’s okay…….it’s all stuff I’m super excited about and I’m dead set on making it all work! I can do it all……….right?

My motto for the month is

“I know I can, I know I can, I know I can! I just need to go with a little less sleep and get real tight with my B.F.F. coffee.”